A cyclist wearing a mask rides through Majors Hill Park in Ottawa on June 6, 2025, as thick smoke from Manitoba wildfires drifts across the National Capital Region. The Canadian Press
A new global health study warns that about 1,400 Canadians die every year because of wildfire smoke exposure. The report links the deaths to the worsening effects of climate change, which continues to harm people’s health across the country.
The research, part of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change, brings together insights from more than 100 experts worldwide. It provides one of the most detailed looks at how climate change affects public health.
Between 2020 and 2024, the study found wildfire smoke pollution in Canada increased by an average of 172 per cent compared to the period between 2003 and 2012. Scientists say this steep rise shows how climate change is making wildfires more frequent and intense, leading to more smoke and air pollution.
Heat Waves Add to the Toll
The report also found that people in Canada faced about six days of extreme heat last year that would not have happened without climate change. These heat waves, made worse by burning fossil fuels, had major health and economic impacts.
The report estimated that heat exposure in 2024 led to the loss of over 40 million potential working hours across the country — a 136 per cent jump compared to the 1990s average. That loss equals about $1.4 billion in income. Construction workers were hit the hardest, making up nearly two-thirds of the lost labour time.
Global Concerns and Delayed Action
The findings come as world leaders prepare for a major United Nations climate conference in Brazil and a G7 environment meeting in Toronto. The report warns that despite decades of warnings, the planet is still moving toward a “potentially catastrophic” level of warming.
It also criticizes political leaders for ignoring scientific advice in favour of short-term economic goals. According to the report, “fossil fuel giants” are using this lack of political pressure to delay or reverse climate commitments. At the same time, banks continue to increase funding for fossil fuel projects, which the report says threatens both public health and economic stability.
Call for Renewable Energy and Global Fairness
The study stresses that access to clean, affordable, off-grid electricity is essential to cutting emissions and protecting health. Yet about one billion people still rely on health facilities with unreliable power, and many households in poorer countries depend on polluting fuels for daily needs. This gap highlights deep global inequalities in energy access.
The report also urges faster transitions to renewable energy, saying delays are costing lives. It points out that other sectors, like food and agriculture, could see big health and environmental gains through change.
In 2022, nearly 39 per cent of Canada’s agricultural emissions came from red meat and dairy production. That same year, about 16,000 deaths were linked to eating too much red and processed meat.
The authors end with a clear message: the world has no time left to waste.
